Process and apparatus for polishing finger nails



Jan. 10, 1933. E. M. ODONN ELL 1,393,561

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR POLISHING FINGER NAILS Filed Oct. 25, 1931 gum-01b1 Patented Jan. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD M. ODONNELL'OF GALVA, IOWA PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR POLISHING FINGER NAILS Application filed October 23, 1931.

'10 Another object of my invention is to provide electrically driven elements which will allow interchanging of these elements so that the process of finger nail polishing can be accomplished with each operation in its proper sequence.

A further object is to provide an electrically operated polisher which is suitably contained in a case.

A still further object of my invention. is to provide a finger nail polisher of simple and durable construction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a. finger nail polisher which is easy to manufacture and especially convenient to manufacture in large quantities.

A further object of my invention is to provide a polisher which will insure a superior result as compared to the old methods.

Another object of my invention is to provide a polisher which will polish the nails much more quickly than could be done in the old method.

lVith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement, and combination of the various parts of my device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an external plan view of the electric polisher inside of its containing case,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken medially on the longitudinal axis of the driving shaft and its housing,

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the small rubber buffer used for the preliminary step of cleaning the nails,

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the disc used Serial No. 570,653.

for the neXt step in the polishing process, and shows the strip of chamois skin attached,

Figure 5 is a view the same as Figure 4, with the exception that the disc is shown slightly smaller, and provides a disc for the ,55 third step in the polishing operation,

Figure 6 is the final polishing disc,

Figure 7 is a side view of the metal disc used to secure the chamois skin in place,

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the device 0 when in use, and

Figure 9 is a sectional taken along the line 99.

I have used the reference character 10 to designate the container for the various parts necessary for the device.

The lid for the case is shown as 11.

A small tog 'le switch 12 is used for controlling the apparatus, and to this switch 12 is connected the electrical cord 13, and the T plug 14. The cord 18 passes through a small cable 15 tothe electric motor 16.

This motor 16 is the usual type employed for driving small mechanisms and a very small fractional H. P. motor can be used.

A flexible cable 17 is securely afiixed to the motor at 18, and this cable terminates in a collar 19, which collar is threadably received on the shaft housing 20. A flexible shaft 21 passes through the center of the cable 17 and"- is keyed suitably to the motor shaft. This is well known in the art and is not shown herein.

The outer end of this flexible shaft 21 is keyed to a shaft 22 at 23. This shaft 22 is journalled in suitable bearings 24; and 25. The outer end of the shaft 22 terminates in view of Figure 1,

a threaded male portion upon which the various discs can be secured. This method of flexibly driving the device is the common method generally employed in speed'ometers for automobiles.

Within the casing 10, I provide the raised shelf 26 which includes the recesses 27, 28, 29 and 30, which are provided for holding the various discs used in the polishing operation.

A partition 31 is provided to separate the switch, motor, and flexible cable from the inclosed space 32, which is used for holding the various polishes and liquids necessary in the polishing operation. These polishes and so forth are indicated generally by the characters 33, 34, 35, 36 and 27.

The casing 10 is provided with a handle 38.

The lid 11 is hinged as at 39 and 40 and can be swung back so that it is parallel to the plane of the casing 10.

I will now explain the various rotating discs employed in my device.

Figure 3 shows the small rubber cleaning device which is used for cleaning the nails thoroughly. This device includes the soft rubber portion 41 which is shaped generally as shown. Upon this rubber portion is suitably secured the metal element 42 which con tains the female threads 43. It can be seen from this that the device can be readily attached to the outer end of the shaft 22 by simply engaging the threads 43 with the outer threads 25 of the shaft 22.

Figure 4 shows the device used for the next operation of polishing where the polish is applied by the outer periphery of the disc which comprises the chamois skin 44. This disc comprises the central portion 45 which includes the annular grooves 46 and 47. Means for securing the chamois skin about the periphcry of the disc 45 consists of the washer 48 and the element 49 which includes the integral shaft 50. The outer end of the shaft 50 is threaded as at 51 and receives the nut 52. The element 49 includes the threaded portion 53. The chamois skin is secured to the disc in the following manner. (See Figure 7.)

The disc is provided with a slot 51. The chamois skin is cut out in a fairly narrow strip to a length slightly greater than the circumference of the disc 45. The chamois skin is then placed around the periphery of the disc 45 and the ends pulled down into the slot 51. Next the overlapping portions of the chamois skin are brought down along the sides of the disc 45 as at 55 and 56 so that they will approximately lie adjacent the annular grooves 46 and 47. Next, the element 49 is placed against one side of the disc 45, and the integral shaft 50 then passes through the opening 57 in the disc 45. Then the washer 48 is placed over this shaft and the nut 52 is screwed down on the thread 51. This operation clamps the chamois skin firmly on the outer periphery of the disc 45, and when the chamois skin is compressed, it will tend to be constricted in the grooves 46 and 47 thereby resulting in a positive clamp and will tend to prevent the chamois skin from flying outwardly.

Figure 5 shows the necessary disc used in a further polishing operation, and is of the same construction as the disc shown in Figure 4. The parts in this disc are of substantially identical construction to those of Figure 4, with the exception that they are slightly smaller.

Figure 6 is the form of disc used for the final operation of buffing the nails to a high finish, and consists of several plies of chamois skin 58, which are circular in shape and which are also stitched together in annular relation to their axes as at 59 and 60. For attaching this disc to the driving shaft 22, I employ the element 61, including the female thread 62 and the integral shaft 63 which passes through the several plies of material, thence through the washer 64, and is then riveted over as at 65.

The method of using this apparatus will now be explained.

The electric cord 13 is plugged into the usual type of wall socket by means of the plug 14 engaging the receptacle 66. This connects the electrical circuit up to the switch 12, which can be then thrown on or off at will.

First, the rubber device shown in Figure 3 is attached to the outer portion of the shaft 22. The switch is then thrown to the on position and the finger nails are thoroughly cleaned by allowing the device to rotate rapidly in the usual way in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the nails. The usual cleaning solution is used in this cleaning operation.

After this operation, the small device shown in Figure 4 is then screwed on to the shaft 22 after the cleaning disc has been removed. It will be understood of course that this polishing device is already assembled. The pumice powder is then applied to the nail and this device placed so that it rotates rapidly over the nail.

After this operation, the device shown in Figure 5 is used. With this device the usual polishing powder is applied to the nails and this device is then rotated suitably on the nails.

The final operation is accomplished by using the device shown in Figure 6, which is the final buffing operation to secure the required high finish to the nails, and is used in the same way.

It will be understood that the switch is thrown on and off during the change of the different discs.

It will be seen that I have provided an apparatus for polishing finger nails which is far superior to present methods, and that I have constructed this device with a minimum of parts to insure the simplest type for manufacturing purposes.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a finger nail polishing device, an electric motor, a flexible shaft driven by the motor, and attachable means for polishing finger nails comprising a plurality of discs, including successive cleaning and polishing means on their peripheries, said successive means comprising first, a substantially discshaped rubber element, then a disc-shaped chamois skin element, then an additional discshaped chamois skin element, and finally a disc-shaped several-ply chamois skin element for attaining a high polish.

2. In a finger nail polishing device comprising a casing, an electric motor Within the casing, a flexible shaft driven by the motor, and attachable means for polishing finger nails comprising a plurality of discs, including successive cleaning and polishing means on their peripheries, said successive means comprising first, a substantially discshaped rubber element, then a disc-shaped chamois skin element, then an additional discshaped chamois skin element, and finally a disc-shaped several-ply chamois skin element for attaining a high polish.

8. In a finger nail polishing device comprising an electric motor, a flexible shaft driven by the motor, an additional rigid drive shaft keyed to the outer extremity of the flexible shaft, a housing Within which the rigid drive shaft is journalled, said drive shaft including a thread at its outer end, and attachable means for polishing finger nails arranged to be secured by said thread, said attachable means comprising a plurality of discs, including successive cleaning and polishing means on their peripheries.

4-. In a finger nail polishing device comprising an electric motor, a flexible shaft driven by the motor, an additional rigid drive shaft keyed to the outer extremity of the flexible shaft, a housing Within Which the rigid drive shaft is journalled, said drive shaft including a thread at its outer end, and attachable means for polishing finger nails arranged to be secured by said thread and comprising a plurality of discs, including successive cleaning and polishing means on their peripheries, said successive means comprising first, a substantially disc-shaped rubber element, then a disc-shaped chamois skin element, then an additional disc-shaped chamois skin element, and finally a discshaped several-ply chamois skin element for attaining a high polish.

Signed at Sioux City, Iowa, this 19th day of October, 1931.

EDWVARD M. ODONNELL. 

